Golden-winged Parakeet Brotogeris chrysoptera Scientific name definitions

The Golden-winged Parakeet is the northeasternmost representative of the genus Brotogeris, and is sometimes considered to form a superspecies with the Cobalt-winged Parakeet (Brotogeris cyanoptera) of upper Amazonia, and the Orange-chinned Parakeet (Brotogeris jugularis) of Middle America and northwest South America. The present species ranges from south and central Amazonian Brazil east along the Amazon itself and north over the Guianas to northeast Venezuela, and the species inhabits primary lowland forest, second growth, and other wooded habitats, including large cities, provided there are sufficient trees. This parakeet has been recorded to 1200 m north of the Orinoco in Venezuela, where the species has been recorded in cloud forest. At rest the Golden-winged Parakeet appears like a more or less uniform psittacine, with a relatively long tail, but upon taking the flight the bright yellow-orange primary coverts are immediately apparent (although these are lacking in immatures). Some five subspecies are currently recognized, and these chiefly differ in their wing and tail patterns, as well as in the presence and color of the frontal band and chin spot.

16 cm; 47–80 g. Close to B. cyanoptera but primary-coverts bright orange, chin spot orange-brown, blue in flight-feathers greatly reduced; has brownish frontal band. Immatures lack orange in wing. Race <em>tuipara</em> has frontal band and chin spot orange, yellow edging to outer tail-feathers; <em>chrysosema</em> larger, with yellowish-orange forehead and yellow primary-coverts; <em>solimoensis</em> like cyanoptera but frontal band and chin paler; tenuifrons like tuipara but with no frontal band.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Cloud forest to 1200 m N of Orinoco, elsewhere lowland primary rain forest, second-growth along waterways , savanna, coastal sand-ridge woodland, edges and centres of towns in large trees.

Some irregular wandering suggested by records near Paramaribo, Surinam, in Jul–Aug and Oct 1964 in contrast to other years.

Largely concentrates on flowers , taking nectar of e.g. Noranthea, Inga laterifolia, Erythrina amazonica, Virola surinamensis, Tabebuia serratifolia, Pithecellobium pedicellare, Bertholletia excelsa, Allantonia lineata and possibly Micropholis melinoneana; also green seed of Cecropia miparia, seed of Alibutia edulis and Bombacaceae, seed and pulp of Ficus  and Sterculia excelsa, fruit of the palm Astrocaryum  , berries of Trema micrantha, and surface algae, insects and snails in pools.

Common calls include a high-pitched “klee”, shrill “chree” or bisyllabic “chree-chree”, given both in flight and perched. Also a fast chattering series “cra-cra-cra-cra-cra”. Noisy in flight, individuals of a group often calling simultaneously. Large groups can make a loud cacophonous noise.

Occupied nest-holes  in Feb, Apr, Sept and Nov in Surinam; Apr, Jul–Aug and Nov in French Guiana, where numerous flying young observed in May; Sept–Oct and possibly Apr–May in N Mato Grosso. Uses tree-holes  and arboreal termitaria. Eggs 3–4. No further information.